Holding device



W. T. MOHAN HOLDING DEVICE July 7, 1942.

3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 14, 1940 W. T. MOHAN July j7, 1942,

HOLDING DEVICE Filed June 14, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WIIIII Il' .F.IIIIIIIIIIHU mm. Al/ TR mh ww .H -mi W. T. MOHAN HOLDING DEVICE July 7, 1942.

Filed June 14, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOLDING DEVICE William T. Mohan, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application June 14, 1940, Serial No. 340,609

2 Claims. (Cl. 81--17) This invention relates to holding devices or vises, and more particularly to those which are adapted to grip or hold objects against axial displacement during forming operations.

In the manufacture of tubes, by way of example, it is frequently necessary to forge the ends thereof to facilitate threading for a joint, or for other purposes; and in order to accomplish this it is necessary to securely grip the tube so that the thrust imparted during the forming operation, as for example, by the mandrel of a press, will not displace the tube axially in the forming die.

According to the prior art, the entering of the tube in the holding or gripping device is accomplished by separating the gripping instrumentalities a distance at least equal to the diameter of the tube; assuming, of course, that the tube is, as is customary, to be entered from the top of the die.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a holding device for workpieces during forming operations which will effectively resist axial displacement of the said workpiece, and one which is, at the same time, cheap and easy to manufacture, install and operate.

'I'he foregoing and other objects will be apparent after referring to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the device of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, and disclosing several of the instrumentalities of Figure 1 in modified positions;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1,

but disclosing the elements of the invention in other phases of operation;

Figure 4 is a plan; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line V-V of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 generally designates an inclined skidway, or other type of conveyor, which is adapted to translate the workpiece, shown in the present instance as comprising a highly heated tube A.

At the lower end df the inclined skidway 2 is a series of horizontally disposed grooved rollers 6 which are aligned to contact the tube A at suitable intervals along its axis Each of the rollers E is rotatably mounted on the piston 8 of a vertically disposed air cylinder I0.

, which are pivotally connected, as at 48, to the Immediately adjacent and slightly below the c lower end of the inclined skidway 2 is a frame I2 to which there is secured a stationary half-grip i4, comprising two identical superposed semi- 55 movement of the slide blocks 26 as to move the circular recesses I6 which open horizontally and away from the skidway 2.

Disposed on the frame I2 and opposite the half-grip I4 is a reciprocable half-grip 20 which comprises two identical superposed semicylindrical recesses 2| which are identical to, and cooperate with, the recesses I6 in the oppositely disposed stationary half-grip I4. The half-gripl is reciprocable on the frame I2 in a manner which will hereinafter be more fully described.

On the side of the reciprocable half-grip 20 which is remote from the stationary half -grip I 4, the frame I2 carries a vertical extension 23 having therein a pair of superposed horizontal apertures 24 through each of which there extends and projects from a horizontal slide block 26, one end of which is secured, as at 21, to the reciprocable half-grip 20.

Spaced on the side of the vertical extension 23 which is remote from the half-grips I4 and 20, the frame I2 carries a vertical extension 30 which is rigidly connected `to the vertical extension 23 by bolts 3|, the ends of which project beyond the extensions and are screw-threaded to carry nuts 32.

Disposed at the bottom of the space between the vertical extensions 23 and 30, which is designated hereinafter at 34, is a uid cylinder having a trunnion mounting 36 and provided with the usual piston rod 38. The top of the piston rod 38 carries a fork 39 through which there extends a pin 40. To this pin 40 is pivotally connected an intermediately disposed link 4I and on either side thereof a pair of links 42 which are pivotally connected to the vertical extension 30, as shown at 44. The pin 40 lcarries on either side of the links 42 a pair of links 46, the ends of lower of the superposed slide blocks 26.

The intermediately disposed pivoted link 4I on the pin 40 extends vertically and carries at its upper extremity a pin which projects from either side thereof. Disposed on 4either side of the vertically extending pivoted link 4I the pin 50 carries a pair of pivoted links 52, the ends of which are pivotally connected, as at 53, to th vertical extension 30 of the frame I2.

Disposed on either side of the pivoted links 52 the pin 50 carries a pair of links 55 which are pivotally connected, as at 56, to the upper of the superposed slide blocks 26.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the operation of the fluid cylinder 35 in such manner as to raise the piston rod 38 will cause such The other ends of the rods 60 extend through 10 and project from the vertical extension 30 of the frame I2 and are provided with a. yoke 64 to the intermediate portion of which there is connected the piston rod 66 of a horizontally disposed fluid cylinder 68 which is carried by and secured to the 15 frame I2.

In operationzt A pipe vor"`t`be A is rolled over the inclined skidway 2 and onto the rollers 6 carried on the pistons 8 of the vertically disposed air cylinders 20 I 0 which are at that time in elevated position. The fluid cylinders I0 are suitably operated to lowerV the piston ro'ds 6 and, accordingly, the rollers 6 in such manner as to cause the pipe A to enga-ge the inclined face 'I0 of a guide devicelLzg;

which is so constructed as to cause Vthe pipe AV to roll by gravity into the lowf the recesses I6 of the stationary half-grip I4.

By providing the superposed recesses I6 and ZI on the stationary and reciprocable half-grips I4 30 and 20, respectively, two lines of pass are provided whereby the pipe A having been partially shaped in one pass or recess may be entered at the other for nal shaping, it being understood, of course,

that the stationary half-grip I4 and the recipro- 35 cable half-grip 20 are readily removable to conform to the size of pipe being operated upon.

When a pipe A is disposed opposite either of the superposed recesses I6 in the stationary halfgrip I4, iiuid is admitted to the cylinder ,6,8 Where- 40 by the piston` rodkI-fithereof operating through the yoke 64 and the rods 60 causes`the reciprocable half-grip 2Il to move closely adjacent to or actually incontact with the pipe A. When the reciprocable half-grip 20 is in the position stated, 45

the fluid cylinderw3w5 is actuated to cause the slide blocks 26 to further move the reciprocable halfgrip A2 Il toward the stationary half-grip I4 whereby the pipe A is Very firmly gripped and may be operated upon without axial displacement.

According to the foregoing it will be understood that the function of the fluid cylinder 68 is to agyance the reciprocable half-grip 20 and lthe function of the uid cylinder 36 is to operate through the toggle mechanism iii such manner as to permit the reciprocable half-grip 20 to very securely grip the pipe A between it and the stationary half-grip I4.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of the ypresent invention, it will be seen that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made provided they come Within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A vise comprising, in combination, a stationary member having a surface thereof conforming in part to the contour of a workpiece to be gripped in the vise, a reciprocable member having a surface thereof complementary to the contoured surface of said stationary member, power-actuated means for moving said reciprocablemember toward 'and away `from said stationarymember, a stationary support, a ley/er system forming a toggle with the stationary support and said reciprocable member, and power-actuated means for operating said system of levers to move said reciprocable member into clamping engagement with an article disposed between said stationary member and said reciprocable member, said lastnamed means being pivotally mounted and operable when moved into position by said first'- named means.

2. A vise comprising, in combination, a stationary member having a surface thereof conforming in part to the contour of a workpiece to be gripped in the vise, a reciprocable member having a surface thereof complementary to the contoured surface of said stationary member, power-actuated means for moving said reciprocable member toward and away from said stationary member, a stationary support, a lever system forming a toggle with the stationary support and said reciprocable member, and power-actuated means for operating said system of levers to move said reciprocable member into clamping engagement With an article disposed between said stationary member and said reciprocable member, said lastnamed means being movably mounted and operable when moved into position by said first- 0 named means.

WILLIAM T. MOI-IAN. 

